FLORENCE, Ala. – Alternative Break Board, a student organization that focuses on service opportunities during official breaks at the University of North Alabama, is sending two groups of students to rural North Carolina and the Dominican Republic to help people in need during spring break March 24 to 31.

Jennifer Culler Brown, ABB adviser and assistant director of student engagement for leadership and volunteerism, is helping to lead one group of seven students to North Carolina to work with King Outreach Ministries and Second Harvest Food Bank to fight hunger and those who are down on their luck.

She said the group will do the majority of their work in Stokes County and collaborate with other organizations in the area, such as East Stokes Outreach, Trinity United Methodist Church and other groups that will be assisting them during the trip.

Kaylie Watts, UNA junior and program director of ABB, will lead a group of 11 students and three faculty/staff members to the Dominican Republic. Each participant will work with Outreach 360 to teach English to orphans from first to third grades. Watts and Brown said the Dominican Republic trip is the first time ABB has traveled outside the U.S. to do volunteer work.

Brown said students who take part in Alternative Break Board do so to gain meaningful volunteer experience and to make a larger impact on the communities they serve. To recognize the students’ experiences during spring break, Alternative Break Board will also host “Stories of Solidarity” April 17 at 7 p.m. in the GUC performance center.

The first-time event will allow students to discuss their experience with Alternative Break Board during spring break and how they were impacted by the volunteer service. Watts said stories, pictures, slideshows and video will be shown to demonstrate what the students took away from the trip.